Kitchen Worktop Joints

[simonridout]

I am planning to redo my kitchen, fitting an engineered beech worktop, made of small blocks glued together, held with worktop clamps. I am unsure as to if a butt joint or a mitre joint is best, any suggestions please. I have been receiving conflicting advice, so far.
Thank you
Simon

Clamps



Mitre Joint

Butt Joint
Worktop

 

[Setch]

Butt joint for square edged solid wood worktops.

 

[niall Y]

Sound advice, as the mitre opens up when the wood shrinks.

 

[Cabinetman]

Yes to the mitre joint opening up, so definitely a butt joint.
What are all the lines on the pic of the worktop?

 

[Doug71]

Not sure if it's just the picture but the worktop in your screen shot looks to have a small radius on the edge, will be easier if you can get one that is square edged.

 

[simonridout]

Thank you. The cross lines are an artefact. Until I see the worktop ‘in the flesh’ I will not know if the edges are rounded or not, it may well depend upon the batch in store. If slightly rounded, I will consider planning 2-3 mm off to get a square edge or pay more for oak if it has a square edge!

 

[HOJ]

I will consider planning 2-3 mm off to get a square edge

I use a [track] saw just to take enough off to get back to a square edge, defo on the butt joint for internals, I have mitred joints on external ones though.

 

[Terry - Somerset]

Butt joint for square edged solid wood worktops.

Main difference will be that with a butt joint the end grain will be on show. With a mitre joint the edge is all with the grain - but uses more worktop to cut the diagonals.

 

[redhunter350]

I am planning to redo my kitchen, fitting an engineered beech worktop, made of small blocks glued together, held with worktop clamps. I am unsure as to if a butt joint or a mitre joint is best, any suggestions please. I have been receiving conflicting advice, so far.
Thank you
Simon

Clamps

View attachment 177274

Mitre Joint

Butt JointView attachment 177273
WorktopView attachment 177272
View attachment 177271

Simon, Assuming it is a 90deg turn corner joint I would purchase a router jig and make the correct joint. I have done several now [not a pro fitter] jigs are not so expensive now but you do need a 1/2 router. We are not too far apart feel free to message me if you wish.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Thank you. The cross lines are an artefact. Until I see the worktop ‘in the flesh’ I will not know if the edges are rounded or not, it may well depend upon the batch in store. If slightly rounded, I will consider planning 2-3 mm off to get a square edge or pay more for oak if it has a square edge!

https://www.worktop-express.co.uk/m...chen-worktops-worktop-express-nutshell-guide/

 

[AlvyChippie]

I am planning to redo my kitchen, fitting an engineered beech worktop, made of small blocks glued together, held with worktop clamps. I am unsure as to if a butt joint or a mitre joint is best, any suggestions please. I have been receiving conflicting advice, so far.
Thank you
Simon

Clamps

View attachment 177274

Mitre Joint

Butt JointView attachment 177273
WorktopView attachment 177272
View attachment 177271

Done the lot, most are butt-end (or "mason") joints... (looks s4it).. and couple mitered (depending on client wishes), but have to admit- mitered looked better, including L-shaped "island" one. Pain in the a4se to get it perfect, that requires plunge sawing with about 0.5* "undercut", literally x3 times lifting-trimming and again to get it perfect (both front and back) and even though block lines aren't perfect, including width being exaggerated (Width difference 1.5mm becomes 3mm on the outer joint), sanding the edge down (in my case plunge saw cut)...
long story-short: looked hell of a lot better than butt-joints.
BTW on a real block, MUST use biscuit joints or dowels AND MUST prep both sides whatever varnish-wax equally, MUST protect the hell of all edges from moisture and still, they'll move around, shrink significantly... ("secret") to use at least x3 plastic fitting blocks where possible away from the edges (Lets say 800mm wide, so 120mm from the ends and one in the middle UNDER TENSION (2mm down from flush)), but that'd be another topic...
ANW good luck and post back results

 

[TomGW]

If you're doing a butt joint with a round edge worktop at least metre the front edge to the depth of the radius. This is where a worktop jig would be useful, but not too difficult to achieve in solid wood without it.
I would agree that a fully mitred joint would look best but would likely be more problematic in terms of the potential for opening up in the long term.
The layout of your kitchen will be a major factor in choosing which approach. If at least one leg is open ended and you can perfect the mitre joint before trimming the overall length, then mitring may be an option. Would routering and epoxying a series of large, deep butterflies in the underside of a mitred joint help to keep the joint intact? Just a thought.

 

[MikeJhn]

Lots of masons mitre kitchen worktop jigs around, the Trend one below is a professional version, the cheap ones available on the net are just as good, but not as hardy, for a one off use should be adequate.

 

[niall Y]

Hate to be finicky , but a 'Mason's Mitre' is a different beast altogether. In essence it's a simple butt joint.
A truer version , when using worktop would be to butt square edged boards together, and then run a moulding around the front edge of the join afterwards.

 

[MikeJhn]

@niall Y can you expand on that please?

 

[Doug71]

@niall Y can you expand on that please?

I think @niall Y means this

 

[niall Y]

@niall Y can you expand on that please?

@Doug71 covers the main points in the attached video.

If you think of how it would relate to a stone lintel, resting on two stone uprights, then a true Masons Mitre is going to be a lot less prone to accjdental damage when the lintel is lowered in place than if it were rebated out as per the worktop joint, also a lot less unnecessary work.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Hate to be finicky , but a 'Mason's Mitre' is a different beast altogether. In essence it's a simple butt joint.
A truer version , when using worktop would be to butt square edged boards together, and then run a moulding around the front edge of the join afterwards.

Truer but ugly.

 

[niall Y]

The truth can be ugly...

 

[MikeJhn]

@Doug71 covers the main points in the attached video.

If you think of how it would relate to a stone lintel, resting on two stone uprights, then a true Masons Mitre is going to be a lot less prone to accjdental damage when the lintel is lowered in place than if it were rebated out as per the worktop joint, also a lot less unnecessary work.

Most stone lintels I have seen have been built in place (ten years in France on heritage buildings) and the side stones dressed to the lintel, assuming you are talking about key stone side joints.